Written Answers Friday 16 April 2010

Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many apprentices have been made redundant since 1 April 2008 and (a) have found or (b) are still seeking alternative training or employment or (c) have left the training programme, broken down by (i) local authority area and (ii) occupational grouping.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with this information.

Audiology

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cochlear implants have been performed on adults in each year from 2000 to date.

Shona Robison: The number of adults receiving a cochlear implant in each year from 1999-2000 to 2009-2010 is shown in the following table.

  Number of Cochlear Implants (Adults)

  

1999-2000
33


2000-01
24


2001-02
24


2002-03
22


2003-04
24


2004-05
23


2005-06
21


2006-07
27


2007-08
32


2008-09
51


2009-10
56

Audiology

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cochlear implants have been performed on children in each year from 2000 to date.

Shona Robison: The number of children (age 0-16 years) receiving a cochlear implant in each year from 1999-2000 to 2009-10 is shown in the following table.

  Total Number of Children (0-16 years)

  

1999-2000
24


2000-01
20


2001-02
18


2002-03
20


2003-04
19


2004-05
25


2005-06
23


2006-07
31


2007-08
32


2008-09
42


2009-10
55*



  Note: *The figure for 2009-10 includes 27 children receiving a sequential implant.

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what reporting mechanisms are in place to monitor the work being carried out by the 2020 Delivery Group.

Stewart Stevenson: The 2020 Climate Delivery Group has been convened by Ian Marchant, Chief Executive of Scottish and Southern Energy, and aims to ensure that all sectors of Scotland’s economy and civic society contribute fully to achieving Scotland’s world-leading target of 42% emissions reductions by 2020, as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

  The group is independent of government, but the Scottish Government is represented on the group by a senior civil servant. Ian Marchant, as convener of the 2020 group, is also an observer on the ministerial/COSLA-led Public Sector Climate Action Group in order to provide crucial co-ordination between the public and private sectors.

  The 2020 group is currently meeting in six sub-groups on public and business engagement, transport, built environment, land use and forestry, finance, and challenges and opportunities. Each sub-group has an observer from the Scottish Government to ensure close alignment with the objectives of the Climate Change Delivery Plan.

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32194 by Jim Mather on 17 March 2010, when it will publish its Report on Policies and Proposals to set out how Scotland will meet its annual targets to be set under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Stewart Stevenson: It is the Scottish ministers’ intention to lay the draft report on Proposals and Policies for meeting annual targets before the Scottish Parliament in September 2010.

  The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires a "period for Parliamentary consideration" of the draft lasting 60 days, of which no fewer than 30 must be days on which the Parliament is not dissolved or in recess. It is intended that the final report will be laid before Parliament by the end of the year.

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a report on emissions attributable to the consumption and use of goods and services, as required under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Stewart Stevenson: A report on Scotland’s ecological and greenhouse gas footprints 1992-2006 by the Stockholm Environment Institute and commissioned by Scottish Government Social Research was published on 29 October 2009 at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/10/28101012/0 .

  Section 37 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires Scottish Ministers to lay before the Scottish Parliament a report on emissions attributable to Scottish consumption of goods and services in respect of each year in the period 2010-50. Scotland’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory for 2010 will be available in 2012 so a decision on when to commission the next analysis of Scotland’s greenhouse gas footprint will be taken nearer the time.

Compulsory Purchase Orders

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reviewing compulsory purchase powers available to local authorities.

Stewart Stevenson: In February 2010 Scottish ministers agreed the Scottish Law Commission’s current work programme which includes a review of the law relating to compulsory purchase.

  To help local authorities make the best use of the compulsory purchase powers available to them under current legislation, the Scottish Government has started a programme of work to promote good practice in the appropriate and effective use of compulsory purchase. This will include updating guidance for local authorities and facilitating training events and other opportunities for sharing good practice.

Concessionary Travel

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding for concessionary travel, excluding that from the Bus Service Operators Grant, it has provided to each bus operator in 2009-10.

Stewart Stevenson: The total reimbursement paid to bus operators for concessionary travel for 2009-10, as at 30 March 2010 is as follows:

  Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People – £176,939,845.60.

  Scotland-Wide Concessionary Travel Scheme for Young People - £641,233.75.

  Money paid to operators on an individual basis cannot be disclosed as this could prejudice the commercial interests of the operators in question.

Dentistry

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether active and inactive dental patient registration figures will be recorded separately under the continuous registration scheme.

Shona Robison: Continuous registration was part of the Dental Action Plan agreed by the previous administration.

  We are currently working with Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland on the detail of patient participation information.

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what public bodies have been adversely affected by investment in Icelandic banks and (b) what action it is taking to assist them.

John Swinney: Seven councils, a fire board and a non-departmental public body had deposits with Icelandic banks at the time that they were placed into administration or receivership in 2007. The non-departmental public body made an impairment charge to its 2008-09 accounts. Scottish ministers issued statutory accounting guidance in March 2009 to permit the local authorities involved to postpone the financial impact from making an impairment charge for these deposits until 2010-11. COSLA recently requested that this guidance be extended to cover 2011-12 and this request is currently being considered.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the planting of extra hectares of trees required to meet the 100 million trees target by 2015 will be financed.

Roseanna Cunningham: Financial support for tree planting on privately owned land is available through the Scotland Rural Development Programme. Land acquisition for new planting on the national forest estate is financed through the repositioning programme (under which areas of low public benefit are sold). The Forestry Commission’s proposed Code of Good Practice for Forest Carbon Projects is intended to stimulate further private sector investment in woodland based projects for absorbing carbon.

Forestry

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to reach its target of planting 100 million trees by 2015, which is equivalent to planting 10,000 hectares of trees per year.

Roseanna Cunningham: By encouraging tree planting on privately owned land, and through land acquisition for new planting on the national forest estate.

Health

Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crisis services treatment places there have been in each (a) local authority area and (b) NHS board in each year since 2004.

Shona Robison: This information has not been and is not collected and held centrally.

  Mental health crisis services are designed to respond quickly and flexibly to individual crisis situations, aiming to help keep and support individuals in their community as far as possible; as such they are not structured around providing treatment places.

  Local authorities and NHS boards are responsible for and work in partnership in planning, designing and delivering services – including crisis services such as those in mental health – for their populations.

Health

Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each (a) local authority and (b) NHS board has made available for crisis service treatment in each year since 2004.

Shona Robison: This information has not been and is not collected and held centrally.

  Local authorities and NHS boards are responsible for and work in partnership in planning, designing and delivering services – including crisis services such as those in mental health – for their populations. Both allocate resources to specific services drawing from their overall allocations.

  As part of the concordat agreement in 2007, the ring fencing of funding for local government services was removed, to allow for greater local autonomy in delivering services based on local needs, priorities and demographics.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on the Counterweight programme in NHS Tayside in each year of its operation.

Shona Robison: The cost of delivering the Counterweight programme in NHS Tayside between April 2006 and September 2008 was £328,000. Of that, £288,000 was awarded to Robert Gordon University who lead the development of Counterweight in Scotland and £40,000 was allocated to NHS Tayside. The programme is designed to be self-sustaining after two years as a key element is training staff that allows the Counterweight team to withdraw direct involvement in delivery.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many delayed discharges there were in each NHS board in 2009.

Shona Robison: Information on the number of delayed discharges in each NHS board in Scotland is published in a quarterly census by NHS Information Services Division (ISD). Details of the number of delays in 2009 is available on the ISD website at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5950.html .

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who have been diagnosed with keratoconus were treated with collagen crosslinking in each of the last four years, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison: The exact number of people who have been diagnosed with keratoconus and were treated with collagen crosslinking in each of the last four years, broken down by NHS board area, is not available centrally.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendation of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in its Consultation on Proposals for a new Border Rivers Order for the River Esk that the Environment Agency should not be obliged to consult on emergency byelaws affecting the River Esk.

Roseanna Cunningham: Emergency byelaws enable the Environment Agency to deal with emergency situations. They will be time limited and any future long-term or permanent measures will require full consultation.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UK Aquaculture Forum held in Edinburgh on 10 February 2010 discussed possible amendment to the protected geographic indication for Scottish farmed salmon.

Roseanna Cunningham: The protected geographic indication for Scottish farmed salmon was not included on the agenda for the UK Aquaculture Forum and the topic was not raised during discussions.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture, signed on 17 August 2009, has been published.

Roseanna Cunningham: A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding is available on the Marine Scotland Website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Fish-Shellfish/international .

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on control and treatment of fish diseases since its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture was signed on 17 August 2009.

Roseanna Cunningham: Since August 2009, we have set up the Healthier Fish and Shellfish working group as one of the outcomes of the renewed Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture. This group is chaired by Professor Randolph Richards CBE, Institute of Aquaculture, Stirling University and is building on existing good practice in the field of fish health and biosecurity.

  In addition, we controlled the Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) outbreak in South West Shetland which occurred in various sites in the area from December 2008 to May 2009. The Scottish Government’s compartmentalisation of the industry into hydrographically discrete management areas appears to have been effective in limiting the disease outbreak to one area.

  The Norwegian Government sent a representative to speak at an Aquaculture Science and Research event held by the Scottish Government in Glasgow last year, and regular discussions have taken place between officials in both countries. The Memorandum of Understanding Committee will meet in Edinburgh later this year.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on developing best practice on engineering design standards in aquaculture since its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture was signed on 17 August 2009.

Roseanna Cunningham: An Improved Containment Working Group was established on 22 September 2009 as one of six Working Groups of the Ministerial Group on Aquaculture. The group will develop a Scottish technical standard for fish-farming equipment (moorings, cages and nets) over the course of the next year.

  Government will work closely with the aquaculture industry as this work progresses. Scottish Government officials and members of the Improved Containment Working Group will also liaise with the Norwegian government under the auspices of the Memorandum of Understanding on Aquaculture Cooperation.

  An update on progress will be provided to the next Ministerial Group on Aquaculture on 22 June 2010 and published on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Fish-Shellfish/18364.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on developing collaboration in research since its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture was signed on 17 August 2009.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Norwegian Government sent a representative to speak at an Aquaculture Science and Research event held by the Scottish Government in Glasgow last year, and regular discussions have taken place between officials in both countries. The Memorandum of Understanding Committee will meet in Edinburgh later this year, at which a formal approach to collaboration on research will be agreed.

Marine Environment

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who will attend the first meeting of the Joint Committee for Bilateral Co-operation on Aquaculture to be held in Edinburgh in November 2010.

Roseanna Cunningham: The first meeting of the Joint Committee for Bilateral Co-operation on Aquaculture will be co-chaired by the Marine Director of the Scottish Government and the head of the Department of Aquaculture in the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs. Other participants will include representatives from individual aquaculture companies, trade bodies, regulators, government officials and scientists.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time is for a referral for cognitive behavioural therapy.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards offer cognitive behavioural therapy.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

  However, we are working closely with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and NHS boards to develop a range of initiatives to support the development around our commitment to expand and increase access to psychological therapies to meet patient’s needs better and sooner.

  We have established a Psychological Therapies Group to oversee the implementation of the advice in The Matrix, a tool for NHS boards to use in reviewing available evidence and in considering which psychological interventions might best be used to meet local need and demand, its continuous updating, and to expand its coverage to other key priority areas in mental health.

  In collaboration with Skills for Health, NES has also produced psychological therapy competence frameworks to ensure that training equips staff to delivery therapy safely and effectively. We have also funded NES to support the training of a range of staff in a number of evidenced based therapeutic approaches.

  During 2010-11 the Scottish Government will work with NHS boards to develop an access target for psychological therapies for inclusion in HEAT in 2011-12. There was no such target under the previous administration.

Mental Health

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provisions in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are based on the premise that psychiatrists do not make mistakes when diagnosing someone as having a detainable mental disorder.

Shona Robison: The objective of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 is to make sure people with mental health problems receive effective care and treatment in a way which accords with the Millan principles. 

  Section 328(1) of the act defines "mental disorder" as "mental illness, personality disorder or learning disability, however caused or manifested".

  Diagnosis of mental disorder can only be made by an approved medical practitioner (AMP): this is a medical practitioner who has been approved under section 22 of the act by a health Board or by the State Hospitals Board for Scotland as having special experience in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorder. An approved medical practitioner will often be a consultant psychiatrist. All AMPs must undergo a two day training package in the provisions of the act before being approved to carry out AMP duties under the act.

  The act makes provision for the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland which exercises powers in relation to detention and which ensures that the clinical judgements of AMPs and mental health officers (MHOs) are subject to appropriate scrutiny.

  Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 does not contain a provision for an appeal against a diagnosis of a detainable mental disorder.

Shona Robison: Before an individual is diagnosed as suffering from a mental disorder, there are specific criteria laid down to enable such a diagnosis to be made. There are currently two established international classification systems for mental disorders - ICD.10 and DSM-IV.

  Diagnosis is the expression of a clinical judgement and does not in itself have legal consequences in respect of the liberty of the individual. Where the powers of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are invoked the law does provide for appropriate appeal rights.

  Where an individual feels that they may have been misdiagnosed as suffering from a mental disorder of any sort they may ask for a second opinion or they may contact the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland to look into their complaint.

  Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the law so that a person need not raise a court action to address any impact that inappropriate detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 may have had on his or her reputation.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government ran a public consultation, from 7 August 2009 to 6 November 2009, on the Report of the Independent Review of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

  The consultation also invited comments on the operation of the act which were outwith the remit of the consultation paper but which consultees felt should be drawn to the government’s attention. In addition ministers and officials are happy to take comments on how the act is operating at any time.

  Responses to the consultation, including comments on the matter referred to in this question, are currently being considered. Amendments to the act in the light of the consultation will require primary legislation however there will be some changes which can be made through practice guidance or amendments to secondary legislation, in advance of primary legislation.

  Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to require a court or tribunal to determine whether there is valid and reliable evidence of the existence of a detainable mental disorder before a person is detained and subjected to involuntary treatment under mental health legislation.

Shona Robison: The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 already provides for a court or tribunal to be satisfied on the evidence as to whether persons are suffering from a mental disorder before detention and compulsory treatment are permitted.

  There are limited exceptions to this. Firstly, a certificate by a medical practitioner authorising emergency detention in a hospital for up to 72 hours is permitted, although it should be noted that in this period no compulsory treatment may be given. Secondly, a short term detention certificate for up to 28 days sanctioned by a medical practitioner with specialist experience in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorder permits treatment. In both of these cases there must be a significant risk to the health and safety of the patient or the safety of others. Thirdly, the Scottish Ministers can, by means of a direction under the act, transfer a prisoner to hospital for treatment on the basis of reports from two medical practitioners who confirm that the prisoner has a mental disorder, and again that there is significant risk to the health, safety or welfare of the prisoner or to the safety of any other person if medical treatment is not provided.

  In the cases of short term detention and any transfer to hospital for treatment of a prisoner, both the patient and their named person can apply to the Mental Health Tribunal for revocation of the power to detain and treat.

  Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to ensure that data are collected concerning deaths of involuntary mental health patients and that each death is subject to an independent investigation.

Shona Robison: Deaths of people subject to mental health legislation are reported to the Mental Welfare Commission. The commission requests an account of the circumstances of death, which is then considered by a member of professional staff and any concerns followed up. Where the commission is satisfied that death was due to natural causes, it will not investigate further.

  72 deaths of people subject to mental health legislation were reported to the Commission during 2009. Most of these deaths were of individuals who were over the age of 60 and were due to natural causes. All of these deaths were reported to the Procurator Fiscal. The commission does not investigate suicides of people known to mental health services unless there is an allegation of deficiency of care. However, in all cases where there is an incident review, the commission requests a copy when it is complete. The commission will investigate if it is not satisfied that the local investigation has been performed with sufficient rigour.

  All deaths by suicide of psychiatric patients, formal or informal, in contact with psychiatric services are subject to a health board critical incident review and then become part of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness (NCISH). The recommendations at a service level from the NCISH are then fed back to health boards for implementation. We believe this has reduced the inpatient suicide numbers significantly in last five year report. The Scottish Government continues to fund this process through Manchester University in conjunction with the National Patient Safety Agency.

  NHS critical incident reviews are also independently quality assured through NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.

  The Cullen report Review of Fatal Accident Inquiry Legislation which was published on 3 November 2009 made a recommendation regarding deaths of people detained under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The report’s recommendations are currently being considered by the Scottish Government.

Planning

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether abuses of the planning system were identified that prompted the review of the planning gain scheme and, if so, what abuses.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is seeking to implement the provisions of section 23 of the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 which will amend the existing legislation on planning agreements. We will shortly be consulting on regulations required to implement the new legislation. The underlying principles and mechanisms for negotiating planning agreements will not be altered.

  The changes to legislation were not prompted by abuses of the planning system.

Public Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the roll-out of the smartcard-enabled ticket machines to all bus fleets to be concluded.

Stewart Stevenson: The roll-out of smart enabled electronic ticket machines is scheduled to be completed in May 2010.

  Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what approximate number of buses are (a) equipped and (b) not equipped with smartcard-enabled ticket machines.

Stewart Stevenson: The programme to deliver smart enabled ticket machines is 94% complete with 6,696 ticket machines deployed from a total of 7,013. There are 317 ticket machines still to be deployed.

Rail Services

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, given that, according to the proposed east coast timetable for 2011, Arriva CrossCountry will take over the operation of Glasgow to London services, whether it will make representations to Arriva regarding the lack of wi-fi provision on these services and the potential diminution in service quality.

Stewart Stevenson: The Arriva Cross Country services from Glasgow will not extend to London Kings Cross, but will continue to serve destinations in the North of England, including Newcastle, Durham, Darlington and York, as well as providing an increased range of direct services to Leeds and Sheffield.

  These services will be provided under a franchise controlled by the Department for Transport (DfT). While Scottish ministers can provide non-binding advice to DfT on issues relating to cross-border rail provision, the specification of service levels on Arriva Cross Country services is a matter for DfT.

  Scottish ministers do not expect a diminution of service quality on cross border passenger services to be provided under the new timetabling arrangements.

Rivers

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to respond to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Consultation on Proposals for a new Border Rivers Order for the River Esk.

Roseanna Cunningham: Following the current public consultation the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will approach Scottish Ministers for approval before proceeding with the Order.

  Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendation of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in its Consultation on Proposals for a new Border Rivers Order for the River Esk that the obligation for the Environment Agency to consult the Scottish Ministers when making byelaws affecting the River Esk should be removed.

Roseanna Cunningham: These proposals reflect the position prior to the introduction of the Scotland Act 1998 and mirror the powers that the Scottish Parliament approved for the River Tweed in 2006.

Roads

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18527 by Stewart Stevenson on 17 December 2008, when it will announce a timetable for the construction of improvements at the Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen.

Stewart Stevenson: We have previously made clear that work on Haudagain Roundabout will be completed before financial responsibility transfers to the Council.

  Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether action on congestion at the Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen is dependent on a decision being made by Aberdeen City Council on plans for the construction a third Don crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: No.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for prioritising the upgrading of the A82 at Crianlarich rather than upgrading sections with a greater accident rate.

Stewart Stevenson: The A82 Route Action Plan (RAP) published in April 2006 identified six long term measures to address key operational problems along the route. On the basis of these recommendations Scottish ministers decided to take forward the A82 Crianlarich Bypass and the A82 Pulpit Rock Improvement scheme.

  In addition, the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) has recommended an upgrade of the A82 to reduce accident severity. A timetable for undertaking this work will be set in the context of overall affordability and our commitments to other STPR proposals.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected improvement is on the accident rate on the A82 following the upgrading of the Crianlarich section.

Stewart Stevenson: The projected accident rate associated with the newly designed single carriageway at Crianlarich is 0.293 (personal injury accidents per million vehicle kilometers). This is less than half the rate associated with the section of the A82 being bypassed in recent years.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what next section of the A82 it will commit to upgrading.

Stewart Stevenson: Within the current programme work is progressing to deliver improvements at Crianlarich and Pulpit Rock.

  Subject to satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, it is estimated that the Crianlarich bypass will be open to traffic in 2012-13. Regarding Pulpit Rock, it is estimated that the draft road orders will be published in summer 2010, with construction completion estimated for 2012-13, subject to the requirement for a Public Local Inquiry.

  In the longer term, the Strategic Transport Projects Review has recommended an upgrade of the A82 to reduce accident severity. A timetable for undertaking this work will be set in the context of overall affordability and our commitments to other STPR proposals. 

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will commit to upgrading the sections of the A82 with the greatest accident rates.

Stewart Stevenson: The sections of the A82 which currently have the greatest accident rates are between Tarbet and Crianlarich and Ballachulish and Fort William.

  Regarding the section between Tarbet and Crianlarich, subject to satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, it is estimated that the Crianlarich bypass will be open to traffic in 2012-13. It is also estimated that the draft road orders for Pulpit Rock will be published in summer 2010, with construction completion estimated for 2012-13, subject to the requirement for a Public Local Inquiry.

  Regarding the section between Ballachulish and Fort William, work associated with 

  improvements to the existing Ballachulish junction with realignment of kerblines to remove deceleration lanes is estimated to begin near the end of this year, and 

  the removal of laybys at three locations between Corran Ferry and Fort William where road safety concerns were identified has now been completed.

  In addition, work associated with the installation of vehicular guardrails at 14 high risk locations on the A82 to improve safety has also now been completed.

  In the longer term, the Strategic Transport Projects Review has recommended an upgrade of the A82 to reduce accident severity. A timetable for undertaking this work will be set in the context of overall affordability and our commitments to other STPR proposals.

  David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32018 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 March 2010, whether it will provide an answer that specifically addresses the point raised in the question regarding its position on the need for more community engagement in the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32017 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 March 2010, what progress has been made in completing the proposed Inverness bypass.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32016 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 March 2010, whether all correspondence relating to meetings of the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass will be placed in the public domain.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a specified budget has been set aside for the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass and, if so, what expenditure has been incurred on (a) travel and expenses for members of the stakeholder group, (b) meeting costs and (c) any other ad hoc costs.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invite (a) representatives of local communities, (b) local councillors, (c) representatives of community councils and (d) constituency and regional MSPs to any future meetings of the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will regularly update elected members and members of the public on the progress and work of the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether future meetings of the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass will be open to members of the public.

Stewart Stevenson: Delivery of the Inverness bypass between the A9 and the A82 and matters relating to the stakeholder group are the responsibility of the Highland Council.

  Transport Scotland will continue to work with the council as part of the stakeholder group.

  David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32015 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 March 2010, where the next meeting of the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass will take place; which members of the group will attend, and whether the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change or any Scottish Executive officials will attend.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32014 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 March 2010, how many members there are of the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass; whether the membership includes elected members and non-elected members; whether there have been full meetings of the group since its inception and, if so, where these meetings took place and whether the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change or any Scottish Executive officials took part or chaired any of these meetings.

Stewart Stevenson: The arrangements relating to the meetings of the stakeholder group looking at the proposed plans for the Inverness bypass are the responsibility of the Highland Council.

  Although I am not a member of the stakeholder group. I regularly discuss progress with the Leader of the Highland Council, most recently on 19 January 2010.

  Transport Scotland will continue to work with the council as part of the stakeholder group.

Schools

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much North Ayrshire Council paid to fund PPP/PFI payments for schools in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09 and will have to pay in each year from 2009-10 until the end of the contracts and what the Scottish Government’s contribution will be in each of those years.

Keith Brown: The following table shows the Unitary Charge payments made by North Ayrshire in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 and the estimated Unitary Charge payments in each year onwards until the end of the contract. North Ayrshire Council were offered revenue support of £5.72 million per annum for 30 years, equivalent to an overall capped amount of £171.6 million, for their PFI school building project. The actual amount of Scottish Government support in each of the 30 years, adjusted to reflect the phased delivery of the project, is also shown in the table below.

  

Year
Unitary Charge (£ million)
Scottish Government Support (£ million)


2006-07 
0.00
0.00


2007-08 
3.82
2.25


2008-09 
9.79
5.55


2009-10 
9.96
5.66


2010-11 
10.17
5.86


2011-12 
10.34
5.86


2012-13 
10.51
5.86


2013-14 
10.69
5.86


2014-15 
10.87
5.86


2015-16 
11.05
5.86


2016-17 
11.24
5.86


2017-18 
11.43
5.86


2018-19 
11.62
5.86


2019-20 
11.81
5.86


2020-21 
12.01
5.86


2021-22 
12.21
5.86


2022-23 
12.41
5.86


2023-24 
12.62
5.86


2024-25 
12.83
5.86


2025-26 
13.04
5.86


2026-27 
13.26
5.86


2027-28 
13.48
5.86


2028-29 
13.71
5.86


2029-30 
13.94
5.86


2030-31 
14.17
5.86


2031-32 
14.41
5.86


2032-33 
14.65
5.86


2033-34 
14.90
5.86


2034-35 
15.15
5.86


2035-36 
15.40
5.86


2036-37 
15.66
5.86


2037-38 
9.29
0.00

Scottish Futures Trust

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32404 by John Swinney on 26 March 2010, when it will publish the piece of work carried out by KPMG on behalf of the Scottish Futures Trust in respect of Scottish Water.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32404 by John Swinney on 26 March 2010, when the piece of work carried out by KPMG on behalf of the Scottish Futures Trust in respect of Scottish Water was given to ministers.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32404 by John Swinney on 26 March 2010, when it will publish its response to the piece of work carried out by KPMG on behalf of the Scottish Futures Trust in respect of Scottish Water.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not as a matter of course request or publish studies which have been commissioned by agencies or public corporations from third parties. The Scottish Futures Trust is a public corporation which works at arms’ length to Scottish ministers and has its own publication scheme:

  http://www.scottishfuturestrust.org.uk/docs/20/SFT%20Publication%20Scheme.pdf.